Regarded highly in his own country, he operates with confidence and is a good communicator.
Istvan Kovacs (Romania)
Assistants: Vasile Florin Marinescu, Mihai Ovidiu Artene
Kovacs has been a full international for Fifa since 2018 and a Uefa elite referee since 2019. He officiated the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup Semi Final Flamengo v Al Hilal and, in May, was selected to officiate the Europa League Final between Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen. Kovacs is a PE teacher and pairs his excellent level of fitness with good movement and game reading.
Ivan Kruzliak (Slovakia)
Assistants: Branislav Hancko, Jan Pozor
He came to prominence in the refereeing world when he was appointed to a World Cup Qualifier at Wembley between England and Moldova in 2014, a game that the home side won 4-0. In 2021, The Referees Committee of the Slovak Football Association decided to punish Kruzliak with a six week suspension surrounding the non-award of a penalty kick in a domestic league game.
Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)
Assistants: Tomaz Klancnik, Andraz Kovacic
Promoted to Fifa in 2010 and recently officiated his biggest game to date the recent Champions League final Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid. He is a referee who operates a strict enforcement of the laws of the game with a good detection and decision making of foul challenges.
Jesus Gil Manzano (Spain)
Assistants: Diego Barbero Sevilla, Angel Nevado Rodriguez
At the age of 29, Manzano was the youngest Spanish official to become a Fifa referee in 2014 and has already officiated many top games in Europe.